Expandable portable shelter



Jan. 14, 1969 J REYNOLDS ET AL 3,421,268

EXPANDABLE PORTABLE SHELTER Filed Jan. 20, 1967 Sheet Jan. 14, was

A. .J. REYNOLDS ET AL EXPANDABLE PORTABLE SHELTER Filed Jan. 20, 1967 INVENTORS ram/010.: (00 zoeas'so flrrokwt V QI Jan. 14, 1969 f REYNOLDS ETAL 3,421,268 7 EXPANDABLE PORTABLE SHELTER Filed Jan. 20, 1967 Sheet 1 of 5 T 5 B W/(M INVENTORS fllfXJ [IS/V0105 M09400 (04?550 I firraeavey United States Patent 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Identical small transportable shelter units are adapted to fit together to form larger units. At least one side wall has a first pair of hinged panels that open outwardly. A second pair of side panels are hinged to one of said first pair of panels and when swung away therefrom form a four-sided enclosure which is adapted to be placed adjacent a like unit on another shelter to provide greater floor space. Additional folding sections having centrally hinged side members are hinged to one of said first pair of panels. A panel support is provided for the lower one of said first pair of panels which forms the floor of the foursided enclosure. A shield is placed over said panels between the shelter units to keep out Water.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

Prior art It is sometimes desirable to have lightweight transportable shelter structures which are readily moved to the desired site by means such as helicopter or other transport means. With the use of these structures, some means must be available to provide adequate floor space to permit normal activity so as to reduce personnel fatigue. No such prior art lightweight shelter device is available.

In some prior art shelters, complicated arrangements have been devised wherein expandable structures have been used to provide adequate floor space. Also other structures are known wherein two transportable structures are joined together wherein the structures come in matched pairs so that each unit needs a matching unit for it to be useful. These prior art structures are either unduly cumbersome or with the matched units, the units would be substantially useless if one of the matched units were destroyed.

Brief description of the invention According to this invention, identical shelter units are provided which may be readily attached to any other shelter unit that may be available. Thus, if one unit from each of two expanded shelter units were destroyed, the two remaining units could be attached together to provide a usable shelter. Also these shelters have means so that various sized shelters may be provided.

One object of the invention is to provide small transportable shelter units which provide intermediate sections that can be opened out and joined to like sections on adjacent units to provide greater floor space.

Another object of the invention is to provide identical transportable shelter units which are readily used together to provide greater floor space.

A further object of the invention is to provide transportable shelter units adapted to be used to provide different amounts of floor space as desired.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a transportable shelter unit with a plurality of hinged panels according to the invention;

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FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the shelter of FIG. 1 with a collapsible section attached to one of the hinged panels;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the device of FIG. 2 in its partially extended condition;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the device of FIG. 3 with the collapsible section in its erected position;

FIG. 5A is a reduced isometric view of two adjoining shelter units according to the invention with a rain shield in its stored position;

FIG. 5B is a reduced isometric view of the device of FIG. 5A with the rain shield in its shielding position; and

FIG. 6 is a reduced isometric view of two adjoining shelter units according to the invention with a modified rain shield.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawing which shows a rectangular shelter 10. One of the side walls 11 of shelter 10 has two hinged panels 14 and 15.

The panels 14 and 15 are opened outwardly as shown in FIG. 3. The floor panel 15 is supported by means of supports 17. Other types of supports than those shown can be used. The two side panels 19 and 20 are brought down, as shown for panel 19, to contact the floor panel 15 and support the top panel 14. A latch, not shown, holds the panels 19 and 20 in their stored position as shown for panel 20. Any well-known latch means can be used. With the panels 14, 15, 19 and 20 open and put in place to form the intermediate section 21, two complete units are located in adjoining position as shown in FIG. 5A. Corrugated metal members 22 are hinged to the top of the shelter unit 10 and are raised up to contact the like member on the adjoining unit to form a rain shield 23 that covers the intermediate sections 21 as shown in FIG. 5B.

To provide a greater amount of space, a collapsible section 28 is hinged to the panel 14 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This section may be brought down and extended as shown in FIG. 4. The collapsible section 28 has a top panel 30, a bottom panel 31 and two side panels 33 and 34. The side panels 33 and 34 are hinged at the center and are also hinged to the top panel 30 and bottom panel 31. Two straps 36 with books 37 are secured to panel 31 for retaining the section 28 in its stored position as shown in FIG. 2.

An alternate type of rain shield 39 that might be used is shown in FIG. 6 wherein a sheet of rain impervious material such as plastic completely covers the sections 21.

Though the hinged panels are shown on only one side of the shelter, it is to be understood that such panels could be provided on two opposite sides of the shelter units.

The particular material used for making the shelter would be determined by its use and it is to be understood that wood, metal or other material could be used. It is desirable however to use a material that will make the shelter unit as lightweight as possible.

There is thus provided a lightweight shelter structure that is readily transportable and which can be used to combine units which will provide adequate space.

While certain specific embodiments have been described, it is obvious that numerous changes may be made without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. An expendable portable shelter comprising, a shelter unit having a first pair of hinged panels in one wall thereof, adapted to be positioned substantially perpendicular to said wall to form a roof member and a floor member; a second pair of panels hinged to one of said first pair of panels; said second pair of panels having a width equal to the perependicular dimension of said first pair of panels and a length equal to the distance between said first pair of panels in their open position; said second pair of panels being adapted to form side panel members, whereby said first pair of panels and said second pair of panels form an enclosure on said shelter unit adapted to be located in juxtaposition to a like enclosure on another like shelter unit; means, for supporting said floor member in a position substantially perpendicular to said wall; an additional enclosure member hinged to the roof member of said previously recited enclosure and adapted to be located adjacent said previously recited enclosure member; said additional enclosure having a roof member and floor member of length and width equal to the roof member and floor member of said previously mentioned enclosure; said additional enclosure having side Wall members hinged to the roof member and the floor member thereof; the side wall members of said additional enclosure each having two equal sections hinged therebetween whereby said side wall members of said additional enclosure are foldable between the roof member and the floor member of said additional enclosure.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein two of said shelter units are located with said additional enclosures in juxtaposition; rain shield means positioned over and completely covering said enclosures.

3. The device as recited in claim 2 wherein said rain shield consists of a rain impervious material completely covering all of said enclosures.

4. The device as recited in claim 2 wherein said rain shield consists of a pair of corrugated metal members with one of said members being hinged to each of said units; said metal members being adapted to be located in contacting relation to completely cover all of said enclosures.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 954,305 4/1910 Kimbell 5279 1,156,693 10/1915 Koger 5279 1,498,173 6/1924 Kelley 29623] X 2,006,477 7/ 1935 Pendry 52-68 2,602,406 7/1952 Orter 523 2,755,517 7/1956 Sickel 52-443 X 2,768,023 10/1956 Landon 52-3 X 2,920,920 1/ 1960 Couse et al 52-70 X 3,097,013 7/1963 Mussler 29623 3,119,638 1/1964 Sneed 5264 X 3,257,760 6/1966 Calthorpe 5268 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,010,403 3/1952 France.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES G. MUELLER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

